[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 67-68]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             CELEBRATING THE 70TH BIRTHDAY OF MUHAMMAD ALI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, January 17, Muhammad 
Ali became 70 years old, so I rise to salute the champ and to wish him 
a happy birthday.
  Ali has taken a lot of hard licks during his lifetime, but has always 
gotten up and has always maintained his dignity. Ali lived in and spent 
a great deal of time in Chicago. He attended events, went to meetings, 
and was part of community life. Therefore, I got to know him quite 
well.
  A few years ago, after he had become ill with Parkinson's Syndrome, I 
sat next to Ali at a community banquet, and he was having difficulty 
holding on to his food and eating. The person on the other side of him 
was trying to help. Ali was becoming more and more irritated and 
finally, in a polite but firm manner, said, Thanks, but please leave me 
alone, I can do this, and he did. And I think that's characteristic of 
his life.
  Born Cassius Clay, Ali converted to Islam, became a Muslim, and 
changed his name. Ali took hits from individuals and fans who disagreed 
with this position.

                              {time}  1100

  Initially categorized as not qualified to serve in the military 
because of poor performance on a Selective Service exam, Ali is then 
reclassified. But in April of 1967, he refused induction into the Army. 
He is tagged a draft dodger and stripped of his championship and barred 
from boxing. He is ultimately permitted to return.
  As he worked his way toward the title shot at Sonny Liston, there are 
rumors that the fight might be canceled because of his emerging 
relationship with Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. However, the fight 
does take place. Cassius Clay wins, and a month later, the honorable 
Elijah Muhammad gives Clay a new name: Muhammad Ali.
  Ernie Terrell, a friend of mine, who graduated from high school with 
my wife and was a heavyweight champion, refused to address Ali by his 
new name, and Ali whipped him soundly and taunted him by asking him 
continuously, ``What's my name? What's my name?''
  Muhammad Ali is known as ``The Greatest'' to most people for his 
electrifying style in the boxing ring. But others might call him ``The 
Greatest'' for his continued humanitarian efforts outside the world of 
boxing. Since his retirement in 1981, he has gone on to do great things 
to help out the less fortunate and disenfranchised people throughout 
the world.
  In 1991, he traveled to Iraq during the Gulf War and met with Saddam 
Hussein in an effort to negotiate the release of American hostages. On 
January 8, 2005, Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential 
Citizens

[[Page 68]]

Medal by President George W. Bush. He has received the Spirit of 
America Award calling him the most recognized American in the world. He 
has also been to Afghanistan as a U.N. Messenger of Peace.
  One of his most recent accomplishments has been the creation of the 
$60 million nonprofit Muhammad Ali Center opened in downtown 
Louisville. This center was opened to reflect Mr. Ali's core values of 
peace, social responsibility, respect, and personal growth. These are 
the values that have made Muhammad Ali the great man he is today, and 
it's those values that should not be forgotten. Instead, they should be 
passed down to future generations.
  So I say: Happy birthday, Mr. Champ, and thanks for what you have 
meant and continue to mean to millions of people throughout the world.

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